Burn Injury Lawyer
Burn Injury Attorneys in NC, SC & GA
Burn injuries are among the most painful and traumatic injuries a person can experience. Severe burns destroy skin, muscle, and nerve tissue, often requiring multiple surgeries, skin grafts, and years of rehabilitation. The physical pain is excruciating, and the emotional toll — including permanent scarring, disfigurement, and psychological trauma — can be equally devastating. At Dr. Ted Injury Law, our burn injury attorneys fight for victims who have suffered burns due to the negligence of others across North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia.
Burn injuries often result in the highest medical costs of any injury type due to the need for specialized burn unit care, multiple surgeries, and long-term rehabilitation. Victims may face a lifetime of follow-up procedures, compression garments, and psychological treatment. Our attorneys ensure that every aspect of these damages is accounted for in your claim.
Types and Degrees of Burns
- First-degree burns — Superficial burns affecting only the outer layer of skin (epidermis). Painful but usually heal without scarring.
- Second-degree burns — Partial thickness burns affecting the epidermis and part of the dermis. Cause blistering, severe pain, and potential scarring.
- Third-degree burns — Full thickness burns destroying all layers of skin. Require skin grafts and cause permanent scarring.
- Fourth-degree burns — Extend through skin into muscle, tendon, and bone. May require amputation.
Common Causes of Burn Injuries
- House and building fires — Defective wiring, faulty appliances, negligent landlords, and arson.
- Workplace accidents — Chemical exposures, electrical burns, explosions, and hot equipment contact.
- Motor vehicle accidents — Vehicle fires from fuel system ruptures and collisions.
- Defective products — Exploding batteries, faulty space heaters, flammable clothing, and chemical products.
- Scalding — Hot water, steam, and cooking oil burns, often affecting children and the elderly.
- Chemical burns — Industrial chemicals, cleaning products, and hazardous materials.
- Electrical burns — Contact with live wires, faulty electrical systems, and lightning strikes.
- Radiation burns — Medical treatment errors and industrial radiation exposure.
Treatment for Severe Burns
Severe burn treatment often involves specialized burn center care, surgical debridement (removal of dead tissue), skin graft surgeries, reconstructive and cosmetic surgery, physical and occupational therapy, compression garments worn for months or years, pain management, and psychological counseling for PTSD, depression, and body image issues. The treatment process can span years, with multiple surgeries and ongoing rehabilitation.
State Laws
The statute of limitations for burn injury claims is 3 years in NC and SC, and 2 years in GA. North Carolina's contributory negligence and South Carolina and Georgia's comparative negligence rules apply to burn injury claims.
Compensation for Burn Victims
Burn injury victims may recover for emergency and acute care, all surgeries and skin grafts, rehabilitation and therapy, lost wages and earning capacity, pain and suffering, emotional distress and PTSD, permanent scarring and disfigurement, and loss of quality of life. Our attorneys work with burn specialists and life care planners to project the full lifetime cost of care.
Contact Us
If you or a loved one has suffered a burn injury due to negligence, contact Dr. Ted Injury Law for a free consultation. We handle burn injury cases with the urgency and dedication these severe injuries demand.
Related Case Results
Our client was driving home from work on Interstate 85 near Charlotte when an 18-wheeler whose driver had exceeded federal hours-of-service limits ran a red light at a highway interchange, causing a devastating multi-vehicle collision. Our client suffered a severe traumatic brain injury, multiple fractures, and required months of intensive rehabilitation. Through exhaustive investigation, we uncovered falsified driver logs and a pattern of safety violations by the trucking company. After a two-week trial, the jury returned a verdict of $12.5 million, one of the largest trucking accident verdicts in North Carolina history.
A 42-year-old mother of three went to a Charlotte-area hospital for a routine gallbladder removal. Due to the surgeon's negligence, her bile duct was severed during the procedure, leading to a life-threatening infection, multiple corrective surgeries, and permanent digestive complications. Our team retained leading surgical experts who testified that the surgeon deviated from the standard of care. The case was resolved through mediation for $9.2 million, providing our client with the resources to cover her ongoing medical needs and compensate her family for the profound impact on their lives.
A commercial truck driver lost control of his vehicle on a steep descent near Asheville when the truck's brakes failed due to inadequate maintenance. The truck struck our client's vehicle head-on, killing the 38-year-old father of two. Our investigation revealed that the trucking company had repeatedly deferred required brake inspections and that the driver had reported brake issues weeks before the accident. We settled with the trucking company and the maintenance provider for a combined $8.7 million for the surviving family.
A construction worker at a high-rise project in downtown Charlotte fell 40 feet when his safety harness, manufactured by a major equipment company, failed due to a defective buckle mechanism. He suffered a catastrophic spinal cord injury resulting in permanent paralysis from the waist down. We pursued claims against both the equipment manufacturer and the general contractor, ultimately recovering $7.8 million through settlement. The case led to a voluntary recall of the defective harness model.